The Lost Garden
by RinoaLovette
Summary: A power outage at Balamb leads to one of the most horrifying battles against evil that the world of FFVIII has come to know.
1. Default Chapter

Rinoa sat in the grass, knees slightly bent and she gazed out towards the ocean from the front gates of Balamb. It was peaceful to watch the dolphins; it seemed as if all the problems of everyday life faded away as the dolphins jumped around.  
  
"Hey Rinoa!" a familiar voice called out to her. She turned her head to see Selphie waving and jumping up and down like a maniac as people all around stared.  
  
"Hey Selphie," Rinoa smiled at her lifting one arm up in the air to wave as the other lay on her knee.  
  
Selphie bounced over with her usual excitement, "What are you doing out here? I thought you would be inside with Squall and the others."  
  
"No, why? What are they doing?" Rinoa said curiously raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Just talking," Selphie said bouncing from foot to foot.  
  
Rinoa looked up at the sky, the clouds were becoming dark and gray, "It looks like it's going to rain."  
  
Selphie looked up continuing with her bouncing, "Hmm.Yup. I think so too!"  
  
"Let's go inside and find the others before we get wet," Rinoa suggested her smile not fading.  
  
Selphie nodded in agreement and the two walked towards the front gate together watching other students pass by them, some in full sprints.  
  
"It's getting cold." Rinoa pointed out as a cool breeze made it's way past them, blowing Rinoa's hair along with it.  
  
The two teens stepped inside Balamb to find a not so shocking surprise, Zell and Seifer were in front of the Balamb Garden map shouting insults at each other.  
  
"Come on Chicken-Wuss, or are ya too chicken to mess with me," Seifer taunted Zell.  
  
"Seifer you're just a.. Grrr," Zell had taken a swing at Seifer only to have Seifer move and him hit the wall only managing to hurt his fist.  
  
"Ah, I don't have time for you Chicken-Wuss. I have better things to bug." And with that Seifer put his gunblade on his shoulder walking off whistling to himself.  
  
Selphie stopped her bouncing and looked at the others leaning forward a little, "What was all that about?"  
  
"He just came out of no where and started harassing me!" Zell exclaimed.  
  
"Oh.I se.." Selphie's sentence was cut short at the sound of many students screaming.  
  
The power had gone out and many instructors had ran to help the horrified children. Rinoa looked over at the rest of her friends only to discover that it was quite hard to see due to the storm.  
  
"Umm.The storm must have knocked the electricity out." Rinoa sighed then her friendly smile etched it way back onto her face.  
  
"Will the following persons please report to Cid's Office on the 3rd floor immediately," a voice sounded over the loudspeaker, "Selphie Tilmitt, Squall Leonhart, Quistis Trepe, Zell Dintch, Rinoa Heartilly and Irvine Kinneas."  
  
Everyone looked at each other and frowned. They had never been called up to Cid's office due to a power outage.  
  
"Come on! Let's go!" Selphie said quite loudly.  
  
".." Squall said nothing as he stood walking to the elevator.  
  
Everyone else followed him in, except Irvine, no one knew where he was. Rinoa pressed the button to the 3rd floor and it slowly raised everyone up.  
  
"I wonder what this is about." Quistis spoke calmly.  
  
No one answered, instead they all shuffled out of the elevator as the door opened only to see Irvine waiting there and a very stern looking Cid in front of him. 


	2. Hallway 081

Cid looked at all of them beginning to pace the floor, "Listen to me. Our Garden is once again in danger of being destroyed! This power outage is not a at all the storms fault."  
  
"What do you mean?" Zell asked while he for once stood still.  
  
Cid stopped pacing the room and stood in front of them all rotating in circles now, "I mean that we are soon to be attacked. The enemy is already inside Garden. They have merely used the storm as an excuse to take the power out."  
  
"But why would they want to turn Garden's power off?" Rinoa questioned moving her hands as she spoke.  
  
".Our Garden has a great secret hidden in the basement. That only I, until now, have known of. It holds the key to getting to Devoleb Garden, other wise known as the Lost Garden," Cid began his explanation, "It is protected by an ancient beast known as Peritazit, but the only way to keep control of this beast is by using Balamb's power supply to generate an electric prison around the beast."  
  
"Didn't you ever have a back-up plan incase the power went out!?!" Quistis asked raising her voice slightly, yet not enough for it to be noticed.  
  
"Yes, we installed a collar around the beast's neck, but the enemy has already hacked their way into it. This isn't an ordinary hacker either, only a sorceress or sorcerer could have such power." Cid stopped his rotating and stood still, looking out at the teenagers.  
  
"So what do you want us to do about it?" Squall said putting one hand on his hip and the other by his side.  
  
"I want all of you to help defend Garden along with the other SeeDs, but first I want you to go to the basement and defeat Peritazit." Cid sighed.  
  
"But what about the secret of Devoleb Garden!?!" Selphie pointed out.  
  
"I want three of you to get it for me, after you defeat Peritazit. I would do it myself but I must inform the Garden about the attack so they can take shelter." With that said Cid gave them all a smile.  
  
"I nominate Squall, Irvine, and Rinoa to go get the secret!" Selphie shouted jumping up and down.  
  
"Yes, I agree." Quistis said nodding in agreement to the hyper Selphie.  
  
Rinoa and the other people nominated looked around then nodded to each other stepping over to Cid.  
  
"What does this secret look like?" Irvine asked tipping his hat up a little.  
  
"You will find the secret at the end of a long hallway called 081. You won't be able to miss it." Cid explained this to them as he stepped over to an area full with buttons, he pressed one then began talking, "Everyone, Please listen.Garden is not stable at the moment. Instructors please escort all students to their dorms then please see me, I would also like ALL SeeD members to join the instructors in their task as well as coming to see me."  
  
By the time the announcement was over the group of teenagers were already in the elevator going down into the basement.  
  
"How is the elevator and Loud Speaker working if the power is out?" Zell asked bouncing from foot to foot taking swings at the air until he hit Irvine in the back of the head.  
  
"Garden has an extra power supply in the basement which cannot be cut off. It's powered by magic, but only last for about twenty-four hours before it runs out. Cid wished to only use it for the elevator and loud speaker because those are the most important things in Balamb." Quistis told Zell, while the others listened in as well.  
  
Soon the elevator had stopped and they all filed out once more their weapons drawn and ready.  
  
"Let's split into groups of three," Squall let out a deep sigh shaking his head, "Rinoa, Irvine, you're with me. Selphie, Quistis, Zell, you three are together."  
  
Everyone nodded in agreement with Squall and they all walked together, for now, searching for the beast.  
  
Rinoa took a small step forward and a fire exploded from something nearby. After the fire had died out a bit a shadowy looking beast stood there in front of the six. It let out a horrible roar, which shook the ground.  
  
The beast had long horns from which fireballs began to form from. It had about three hundred yellow pointed teeth and from the look of them you could tell they were old and worn. It had navy blue dense fur and a black nose, which looked dryer than anything Rinoa had ever seen before. It stood on all fours with sharp pointed claws, almost like a cat, only sharper. It's eyes were now a dark shade of red as it roared again.  
  
Quistis, Selphie and Zell all ran up to the beast now in a fighting stance as the other three stood behind ready to attack if another failed.  
  
The beast again roared and took a swift swipe at Selphie causing severe damage.  
  
"Look's like we should use our GFs!" Zell shouted looking over at Selphie using a high potion.  
  
Selphie now fully recovered now nodded and summoned Shiva while Quistis prepared herself to summon Eden.  
  
The beautiful GF Shiva appeared casting Diamond Dust doing 5,000 points of damage.  
  
Zell used Scan while Quistis waited for her GF to appear.  
  
"It still has 300,000 HP left!" Zell exclaimed a little overwhelmed.  
  
Quistis disappeared, Eden now taking her place. It glanced at the monster sending it's best attack at it causing 100,000 points of damage.  
  
It was now Selphie's turn, she was about to summon Siren, when out of the sky Odin appeared coming down at the beast. It slashed at it defeating it easily then he disappeared out of sight.  
  
"Woah! Did you see that!?!" Selphie said bouncing around.  
  
The others nodded all with happy expressions, well except Squall, his expression was rather blank as usual.  
  
"You three watch around here while Rinoa, Irvine, and I go to get the 'secret'." Squall said shaking his head then beginning to walk as if he knew where he was going.  
  
Soon they were out of sight from the others and at the entrance of a Hall labeled 081. Squall and Irvine looked at it while Rinoa had already began walking down the hall.  
  
"Such a lovely young lady, isn't she Squall." Irvine chuckled.  
  
".." Squall said nothing in return; instead he started to follow Rinoa.  
  
"Hmm.Wonder if." Irvine stopped mid sentence to run to catch up with Rinoa.  
  
"Hey Rinoa, I was wondering." Irvine began only to be interrupted by her.  
  
"No." She said not even bothering to listen to the rest of his sentence; she just kept walking.  
  
Irvine stopped walking for a second then shook his head then he also continued walking, Squall following close behind.  
  
Up ahead they could hear people shouting and gunshots going off, which aroused their senses.  
  
"I ain't letting you past here!" A gunshot went off and Rinoa took off at a full sprint recognizing the voice as Seifers.  
  
"Rinoa wait!" The two guys ran after her.  
  
"Seifer!" Rinoa shouted in reaching the middle of the dim lit and gloomy hallway. He was standing there pointing his gunblade at about ten people dressed as soldiers of some sort. They wore Black outfits trimmed in a gold color.  
  
Seifer looked over at the young and beautiful Rinoa taking his eyes off the men, and just as he did they ganged up on him taking him down. (Note that it was not easy due to Seifer's fight)  
  
A man stepped out of the shadows and looked at Seifer, who was now being held back his gunblade being examined by a few soldiers, apparently they were impressed.  
  
"Ahh, Seifer Almasy. I've heard of you. Not all good I might add, but things." The man had an evil grin etched across his face, "Take him back to the ship!"  
  
"NO!" Rinoa cried out.  
  
"Hmm, Such a lovely thing. What are you doing down here?" His grin widened.  
  
"Oh.Umm.I was just taking a walk, and heard voices so I ran, and now you have Seifer!" She said quickly.  
  
"Interesting story. But not believable considering all students and visitors of Balamb have to have special permission to be down here." He laughed grabbing her by the wrist and throwing her towards a group of guys, "Put her in the guest room, don't harm her."  
  
The group of guys nodded then seemed to just vanish within thin air! Meanwhile Squall and Irvine jumped out of the shadows from where they had been watching the whole incident and pulled out their weapons.  
  
"Where is this ship you took Rinoa and Seifer to!?!" Squall demanded.  
  
"Oh, no where you need to know of." The man chuckled.  
  
"Tell us now! Or else!" Irvine shouted at the guy pointing his rifle at him.  
  
"Or else what?" The man laughed again then drew out his weapon, "Cid put you down here to fetch the secret of Devoleb, didn't he!?!"  
  
The smirked then attacked Squall injuring him slightly. Squall then had a surge of power inside him, and with that power he cast Renozueken hitting the man for 10,000 HP.  
  
"Ugh." The man gasped, "You may have defeated me this time.But next time you won't be so lucky, we will be back for the secret!"  
  
This man, just as his gang of boys had, vanished, and Squall hurried down the hallway searching for this secret.  
  
"What about Rinoa Squall!?!" Irvine yelled to him.  
  
"What about her?" He asked.  
  
"We have to save her!"  
  
"Right now we have a more important job." Squall said stopping at the end of the hallway looking around.  
  
"Squall!" Irvine protested.  
  
Squall ignored him setting his eyes on a small glowing orb. It was a sky blue and it seemed so.beautiful. He picked up the stone to realize it was warm and made your insides feel at ease.  
  
Squall put it in his pocket and began his walk back down the hall Irvine still protesting about Rinoa, and Squall still ignoring him. 


	3. Chapter Three

"Okay, so lemme get this straight. Some guys took Rinoa and Seifer with them?" Selphie blinked, seeming quite confused.  
  
"Yes." Squall said sitting on the arm of a chair in Cid's office.  
  
"We have to save her!" Selphie cried out.  
  
"What are we going to do Selphie? Say we did find their ship, are we just going to walk up and ask for her nicely?" Zell looked over at her trying to get her to stop her whining.  
  
Selphie gave Zell a scowling look then glanced over at Quistis as the blonde began to speak, "Let's explain to Cid what happened. He should be able to help."  
  
Selphie nodded and decided to look at a model of a train sitting on a table.  
  
"I don't know why she said anything. She was perfectly fine where she stood." Irvine commented.  
  
Squall shrugged to answer Irvine's question just as Cid strolled into the room.  
  
"Welcome," his gaze directed towards Squall and Irvine, "Do you have it?"  
  
Squall stood up walking to Cid and reached in his pocket pulling out the glowing stone handing it over to Cid. Everyone gazed at it and its attributes. It looked amazing; unlike anything they had ever seen before.  
  
"Cid!" Selphie screeched.  
  
"Yes Selphie," He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Rinoa was taken by those men that attacked." She told him her eyes widening.  
  
Cid said nothing for awhile then he looked at all of them with a deep sigh, "Your only chance of saving her is to get on their ship before they leave Balamb."  
  
"How did you know where they were at!?!" Zell asked.  
  
"It doesn't matter, now I suggest all of you hurry before they leave." Cid smiled and beckoned them out of his office.  
  
Once again they all piled into the elevator to save time and as soon as they had reached the first floor they were heading towards the garage.  
  
"Hurry," Selphie cheered everyone on, "We have to go faster! We have to save Rinoa!"  
  
Squall wanted her to shut up more than anything. If going faster would make her be quiet then he was willing to do so.  
  
After reaching the garage they all loaded into a car and Zell, unfortunately, took the wheel and sped off as soon as the doors had been closed.  
  
As they entered Balamb they all jumped out noticing a large ship now sailing off.  
  
"No!" Selphie ran towards the direction of the docks as fast as possible, everyone else following.  
  
They reached the docks right after it was too far to reach. Everyone sighed, except Squall; he seemed to just look around.  
  
"Come on!" He shouted, which surprised everyone.  
  
Squall jumped into a boat, it was the same model as the boat that had taken him to his SeeD test. Everyone cheered as they raced on, Zell, unfortunately, taking the wheel again sped off after Quistis had taken one foot on the boat sending her flying backwards onto Irvine, who didn't seem to mind really.  
  
"Sorry Irvine, Zell be careful!" Quistis snapped.  
  
As they inched closer the excitement grew within everyone, Rinoa wanted to be saved by all of her friends, even though Squall was having trouble trying to admit he did want to save her.  
  
Soon the boat stopped and everyone jumped up. Squall reached over and unlatched the door opening it to the huge boat and they all climbed inside the huge boat.  
  
There were doors everywhere, as well as hallways. Who knew where she could be in this giant place. Selphie took one look at the place then decided she would rather start opening doors, so she did.  
  
"Selphie!" Irvine said tugging on her arm before she had opened her third door.  
  
"What Irvine!?!" She asked dumbfounded at why he was trying to stop her.  
  
"So, You've come looking for your little friend" The man from Hallway 081 appeared, Squall clenched his fist and forced himself to withstand drawing out his gunblade and attacking.  
  
"Boys lock them in the dungeon, with the lil miss." He chuckled evilly.  
  
A gang of guys rushed over to them, seizing them and grouping them in twos. Squall left without one of his fellow friends wandered where he was going.  
  
"Ouch! Stop it!" Selphie argued.  
  
After having all of them 'controlled' they made their way into the basement. Selphie and Quistis were locked in with Rinoa, while Squall, Irvine, and Zell were locked in together.  
  
Squall said nothing; he just stared at the floor shaking his head. Great! How are you going to get out of this one Squall? He questioned himself in his thoughts. 


	4. Chapter 4

As the guard threw Selphie and Quistis into their small jail cells they discovered something blue in the corner of the room hidden in the sheet of darkness.  
  
"Rinoa?" Quistis said, making sure that it was her.  
  
She got no reply but instead a loud yell in her ear, "RINOA!"  
  
Selphie rushed over to her and shook her vigorously.  
  
Rinoa opened her eyes blinking. She looked really confused and dumbfounded as to why she was here.  
  
"Are you okay?" Quistis asked her nicely.  
  
".." Rinoa attempted to speak but instead the only thing that came out was a soft sound of air, catching on to this quickly she nodded with a frown plastered on her face.  
  
"Oh my chocobos!" Selphie cried out.  
  
"She can't talk." Quistis looked rather horrified at finding this out.  
  
"What did they do to you Rinoa!?!" Selphie asked her eyes getting quite wide.  
  
Rinoa did not answer instead she looked at the ground, just staring there for a moment then she gathered up a bunch of dust and began writing with her fingers. After a long struggle to get her story out they looked quite confused.  
  
"So, they didn't do any of it.It just happened." Quistis frowned.  
  
She nodded and forced a small smile onto her face. The room fell silent, and then Selphie's face lit up like it did when she had an idea.  
  
She stood up jumping and missing the ceiling by about two inches said, "We can give her that special remedy I've been saving in my dorm!"  
  
"That's a great idea Selphie." Quistis actually for once agreed with the flaky Selphie.  
  
"But. How are we going to escape from here first of all?" Quistis sighed.  
  
Rinoa's smile all of a sudden appeared back on her face and with that she stood up and beat on the door like mad. Soon enough a guard came running over, "What the hell do you think you're doing lady!?!"  
  
In reply to this man she kept beating on the door, and as Rinoa had predicted he ran in to try to catch Rinoa. She stuck her tongue out and made that little bratty face she had the first time her and Squall had danced. The man rushed at her and just in time the young girl moved send the man straight into the toilet hole, where his face had become stuck.  
  
Rinoa waved them on and they all ran out shutting the door and locking it after all three had exited.  
  
"We have to find Zell and the others," Quistis said running down the hallway, "I think I saw them go this way."  
  
Sure enough after about two minutes of running a cell, which had no holes except the one on the door, which was shut at the moment anyway.  
  
"Wow! They got a padded cell!" Selphie said excitedly.  
  
Rinoa ran to the door and unlocked it sending the door flying open. It knocked her off her feet and she scrambled back up to her feet and waited for the others to run out.  
  
Squall was the last to come out as he was walking rather slowly taking his time, ".."  
  
"Come on Squall! We gotta go get our weapons!" Zell said punching the air.  
  
"You okay Rinoa?" Irvine had rushed to help Rinoa up.  
  
She nodded and ran off to catch up with the others, that is until Irvine pulled her back, "Hey, Rinoa. When I was in that cell, I started thinking."  
  
"Wow.He was actually thinking." Rinoa thought to herself.  
  
"And I thought maybe me and you could, ya know.Go on a date sometime?" He grinned and tipped his cowboy hat.  
  
Rinoa put both hands on her hips and shook her head.  
  
"Why won't you talk?"  
  
Rinoa said nothing just stood there then without delay ran off to the others. Irvine running along behind her hoping to catch her before she had caught up with them.  
  
"Okay let's get our weapons and get the hell out of here!" Zell said bouncing around from foot to foot then did a back handspring.  
  
Rinoa stopped and shook her head so hard it looked as if it would fall off if she had not stopped any later than she had. She put both feet firmly on the ground and both hands on her hips.  
  
"What?" Squall said looking quite annoyed.  
  
Rinoa was having one of her little anger fits. She clenched her hands into fist and stomped around, "Grr.What about Seifer!?!" She said angrily in her mind.  
  
Everyone looked at her like she was acting like a baby, then Squall spoke, "We will get Seifer too..." He would have done anything to get her to be quiet at the moment. He wasn't in the mood.  
  
Rinoa's face lit up and she ran at Squall jumping up and hugging him swinging around a few times as if she were saying Thank You!  
  
They walked for awhile then noticed a few guards standing by a table filled with their weapons, "I say we run and hit some head together then BOOM! Knock their light's out and take our weapons!" Selphie suggested helpfully.  
  
"No, that would cause too much trouble." But by the time Irvine had finished his sentence Zell was already up there doing what Selphie had suggested.  
  
Squall sighed shaking his head with showing him he clearly disapproved, "Zell."  
  
'What!?!" Zell asked innocently.  
  
Rinoa ran up grabbing everyone's weapon and handed it to him or her then grabbed her Blaster's Edge.  
  
"Rinoa." Zell had walked up to her.  
  
She looked at him blankly, ".."  
  
"Zell, leave her alone. She can't talk." Quistis scorned him.  
  
"And why the hell not!?!" He asked anger burning inside him.  
  
"She lost her voice." Selphie said sadly.  
  
Zell looked as if he had been struck with a giant hotdog upside the head. Everyone else just looked surprised. No one dared to ask what happened due to their rush to get out of the boat unseen.  
  
Rinoa ran off down the hallway, everyone following her and as soon as she had turned her first corner a guard saw her and set the alarm off. Now everywhere was flashing red and people were looking everywhere for them. Irvine had run up to the guard who had set the alarm off and hit him with the butt of his gun, knocking the fellow out cold.  
  
Rinoa looked around desperately then she chose a door opening it to see an asleep Seifer. She jumped up and leaped for him shaking him softly. He opened his emerald eyes and gazed at her.  
  
"Rinoa.?" He looked really confused.  
  
She nodded then helped him up and handed him his gunblade. Even though Seifer was not their friend none of them had the nerve to fight at the moment. Right now, at this moment, they were all friends.  
  
"Come on!" Selphie urged them to go faster as she had earlier before they had left garden.  
  
Every one of them rushed up the stairs to the deck and all of them shuffled onto a small lifeboat. Irvine, who wasn't paying the least bit of attention, let go of the rope before everyone had their life vest on and the boat began to fall down towards the endless amount of ocean.  
  
It landed with a huge bounce knocking Rinoa and Squall out of the boat and sending them plunging into the ocean where they were swallowed up by a huge wave, and after the wave was gone, so were Rinoa and Squall. 


	5. Chapter Five

Rinoa opened her eyes to the salty crystal blue waters only to be flooded with a sharp pain. The salt had burned her eyes slightly making it a bit uncomfortable. In reaction to this pain she closed her eyes tightly clenching her tiny fist. It wasn't until she opened her eyes once more that she suddenly noticed that she hadn't the ability to breathe. She gasped letting out a few bubbles, looking around in a rush to find someway to escape the oceans murky depths.  
  
She stared around, it becoming darker now that she was sinking. She took another look up towards the waters wavy surface before she was surrounded in a sheet of darkness.  
  
"Am I dead? It's...cold... I can't feel my body anymore. Squall...Everyone... I'm sorry for all the trouble I have caused all of you..." She thought to herself with deep sorrow.  
  
With one last effort to pull herself up out of the water she closed her eyes, her body now completely numb. 


	6. Chapter 6

Squall scanned the area frantically, "Where is she? I can't see her." He thought to himself for a few moments.  
  
He continued to gaze out into the gloomy outstretch of sea, soon his light blue eyes landed upon a slim figure sinking slowly, bubbles escaping from it's head.  
  
"Rinoa," he let his voice escape as it echoed throughout the waters as bubbles carried out his message.  
  
The figure had not heard his call apparently, it hadn't moved in any way at all. After staring for a few mere seconds he began to kick his legs quickly rushing towards her, his hert racing. He wanted to save her. He felt as though it was his fault for this catastrophe. This made his legs kick faster in hopes to reach her on time. Looking down he gazed into the darkness of the sea noticing a small outline of the once bright and joyful Rinoa.  
  
Kicking his legs downwards he entered the darkness and grabbed the shadowed girl by the wrist pulling her up into the light bringing back some of the joy in her face. He stared at the girl his hair waving gently in the oceans underwater current. With a deep sigh he put his hands behind her back pulling her upwards as his lungs gasped for air desperately. Looking up at the sunny surface he smiled surfacing and gasping for air pulling Rinoa up along with him. Everyone was gone, the only thing in sight was a small island about two hundred yards away.  
  
He held the unconsious Rinoa in his arms looking upon her, "..." He glared down.  
  
"This is all my fault. If only I hadn't let her go to get the orb.I feel responsible for all this.I hope she is okay.But what if she never wakes up? What if she is.gone.?" He questioned himself in his thoughts.  
  
He lifted her numb body towards him staring down to make sure she was breathing. It seemed as if she had stopped.Yet he looked harder and noticed her chest slowly moving up and down in unison with the waves around them.  
  
He let out a deep sigh of relief, shaking his head. Looking back up he began to kick his feet once more, his destination right ahead of them.  
  
Reaching the shore he laid out Rinoa's body onto the white sand then turned around and made a seat near the water. He bent his knees close to his chest, them barely spread apart as his arms hung limply over them. His head stared lifeless at the sand below him.  
  
"Squall." A voice rang out his name gently.  
  
He turned his head to see Rinoa ringing out her damp duster with a smile plastered on her once more joyful face.  
  
"Thank you," she began to walk towards him.  
  
He looked out towards the sea halfway ignoring Rinoa, "I wasn't doing anything that anyone else wouldn't have done."  
  
"Why is she thanking me? I didn't do anything special." Once more Squall was deep in thought, yet the silence was once more broken by Rinoa.  
  
Rinoa stared down at the ground her hands behind her back as she rolled her ankle in circular motions, "Well. See. If you hadn't saved me. I wouldn't be here. And. I know I've caused a lot of problems for you and everyone in the past. and well.I'm sorry."  
  
Squall nodded to Rinoa then again spoke, "You don't have to be sorry."  
  
Rinoa gazed down at him, stopping with her ankle movements, then gave a slight nod walking closer to him, "Umm. Squall. I'm still really thankful for what you did."  
  
He didn't answer instead he stared blankly at the glistening ocean. The only thing that distracted his attention from the ocean was the swift movement of Rinoa taking a seat by Squall, her legs also half bent and close to her chest. 


	7. Chapter Seven

"Squall! Rinoa!" Selphie called out after the wave had swallowed them.  
  
They all stared out into the open ocean; they slowly started to drift away from the two Selphie almost in tears.  
  
"Irvine," Zell began, "See what you did now!?! You trying to act all cool and stuff."  
  
Quistis looked at all of her fellow companions, "We can't do anything now.But we can't lose our hope in them!"  
  
They all nodded, now realizing that Squall and Rinoa may not be. dead.  
  
After about five hours someone shouted out, "Hey look guys! Land!"  
  
They all looked over to where Zell had supposedly seen land. And yet there, in the distance was the town of Balamb.  
  
"It's Balamb!" Selphie shouted jumping up and down, rocking the lifeboat back and forth.  
  
"Selphie! Careful." Quistis said holding on to the sides.  
  
Selphie stopped and smiled innocently, "Oops."  
  
The boat rocked for a few more waves then landed on the beaches near Balamb. If you looked far enough you could see the outline of their home, and school Balamb Garden. 


End file.
